FRONT PAGE CONTRIBUTOR

Saturday, marked the second week of the #OccupyWallSt protests. With the endorsements of union bosses now firmly in their back pockets, protesters in New York celebrated the anniversary of their campout in a New York City park by shutting down the Brooklyn Bridge. This, of course, led to the NYPD to arrest many of the—more than 700, according to the New York Times.

In a tense showdown above the East River, the police arrested more than 700 demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street protests who took to the roadway as they tried to cross the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

The police said it was the marchers’ choice that led to the enforcement action.

While some of the Neo-Communists (“Neo-Coms“) are purposely depriving themselves of shelter and (in the case of yesterday’s arrests) freedom out of sheer ideology, at least one appears to be getting paid—handsomely—to be part of the Marxist madness.

Among Saturday’s arrestees was one Jeff Rae (@JeffRae), from Washington, DC. Mr. Rae describes himself on Twitter as a “rabble rouser, agitator, organizer, labor activist.” According to Mr. Rae, he was arrested for ‘failure to obey order, prohibited use of roadway, and blocking traffic.’ [In other words, Mr. Rae was being a disobedient civilian.]

Apparently, the NYPD allowed the detainees to have their cell phones while being incarcerated since Mr. Rae continued updating his Twitter followers (and whomever else happened by) with tweets about his hardships in the hoosegow:

Now, by reading Mr. Rae’s tweets, one could be left with the impression that Mr. Rae is just your average, everyday left-wing ideologue that gets himself arrested “for the cause.” If that is your impression, you are partially correct.

To be sure, Mr. Rae is a left-wing ideologue. However, Mr. Rae does not appear to be just an average left-wing ideologue. In fact, it appears Mr. Rae is a professional rabble rouser, agitator, organizer, and labor activist. [See Agitpropist.]

In fact, it appears that Mr. Rae is the same Jeffrey Ray who is employed as the Director of New Media by the Transport Workers Union in Washington, DC—the same union that joined the #OccupyWallSt protests last week. And, as a professional rabble rouser, agitator, organizer and labor activist, Mr. Rae isn’t one of those downtrodden masses for whom the Neo-Communist protests are allegedly meant for since Mr Rae seems to be doing quite well for himself…

In fact, as many Americans have been losing their jobs and homes during the Great Recession, Mr. Rae has actually seen his income as a professional rabble rouser, agitator, organizer and labor activist increase substantially—from $69,353 in 2008 to $118,534 in 2010.

Jeff Rae, 30, who works for the Transport Workers Union in Washington, said he arrived in Madison to gather intelligence on the controversy. His union sees Wisconsin as the first in a series of battles nationwide, he said.

“This is Ground Zero,” Rae said. “Ohio’s next.”

Like Wisconsin, Ohio is looking to cuts in spending to balance its budget. In Ohio, however, the odds are seen favoring organized labor more than in Wisconsin, Rae said.

Who says rabble rousing isn’t profitable?

* NOTE: Mr. Rae has not responded on Twitter to confirm or deny if he is the same rabble rousing, agitating, organizing, labor activist that the Transport Workers Union employs as its Director of New Media.